Pta Registrar's Circulars 06-07/2018

1. Purpose
To provide guidance on how incorrect lodgement covers should be dealt with.

2. Background
It sometimes happens that conveyancers lodge documents for registration in the wrong colour cover as is customary to Deeds office practice.

Since it is a standing arrangement that deeds will not be rejected for the reason that the documents have been lodged in the incorrect cover, and due to the fact that each firm has their own practice on how to comply with the notes raised by examiners in this regard, it has become necessary to have a uniform practice.

3. Documents on preparation
Where documents have been lodged in an incorrect cover, and where there are no other valid rejection notes raised for that deed/batch, examiners should raise a prep note as to call for the conveyancer to lodge the documents in the correct cover.

The conveyancer should then exchange the lodgement cover with the correct cover.

The following procedure should then be adhered to:

The new lodgement cover should be placed over the original lodgement cover. The original lodgement cover should remain as the inside cover of the documents as to serve as evidence of the original lodgement and examination information.

The segment on the new lodgement cover, which covers the barcode of the original lodgement cover should be cut out so that the original barcode will be visible.

The conveyancer should then refer the cover to the first level examiner in his/her office to stamp his/her name on the cover and to enable the first level examiner to endorse the cover with the relevant endorsements, and to raise the applicable office notes where necessary.

The cover should then be referred to the second level examiner who passed the original cover to pass the new cover and to remove the note pertaining to the incorrect lodgement cover.

4. Documents rejected for other valid reasons
Where a deed/batch has been rejected for any valid reason, other than the incorrect lodgement cover, on re-lodgement the documents should be lodged in the correct lodgement cover. Any examiners notes which were raised on the first examination, including the note pertaining to the incorrect lodgement cover, should be lodged inside the new cover. The following procedure should then be adhered to:

The new lodgement cover should be placed over the original lodgement cover. The original lodgement cover should remain as the inside cover of the documents to serve as evidence of the original lodgement and examination information.

The segment on the new lodgement cover, which covers the barcode of the original lodgement cover should be cut out so that the original barcode will be visible.

Examiners should deal with the new lodgement cover in the same way as any other lodgement cover would have been dealt with.

5. Effective date
This circular will be effective immediately. (21 August 2018)

1. Purpose
To provide guidance to examiners and conveyancers on the practice of Roman linking of batches of deeds.

2. Background
A long established practice exists whereby batches of deeds may be Roman linked in order to enable the office to reject certain parts of a batch of deeds, while passing the rest of the batch.

3. Process to be followed
Before lodging a batch of deeds, when linking the batch in black, the conveyancer may decide to Roman link the batch. Due to the confusion created when batches are very big, through lack of understanding of Roman numerals, conveyancers will be allowed to link these batches in the same way they link any other batch. They will then write the words "Roman linked" on number one of the batch, above the blocks provided for their own linking in black.

When senior examiners pass these batches, they will link the batch in red as they have always done.

Only batches in which no cross linking occurs, may be Roman linked.

4. Effective date
This circular will be effective immediately. (21 August 2018)